Really stupid question about picking stuff up from auctions

[neonhomer]

(I apologize if this is in the wrong forum. It really didn't fit any other forum, so I put it here!)

Okay.... For now, I have given up on my search for a vehicle, but looking for a generator. Yeah, I have a 4k gas powered one that is a royal PITA when it wants to be (ie, last time I started it, it would idle and run lightly loaded, but die when loaded fully. Fast forward, I fire it up to try to fix it before Irma hits Florida, and it runs and loads fine... )

So, without naming specific auctions, I have browsed a few here and there, and a couple of the ones I looked at all say:

No Loading Dock, Ramps, or Forklift Available: Only RGN or trailers with ramps can be used to pick up this item at this location. Seller will not allow item to be loaded on a step-deck or flatbed trailer without the appropriate ramps.

I take this to mean that there is no loading dock, ramp, or forklift available to help me. The part about acceptable trailers has me confused. If the auction was close enough to me, I would personally go pick it up. Would be pulling a flatbed trailer with ramps (like a car carrier), and bringing a friend to help load. The class of gensets I am looking at weigh around 1000-1500 lbs, and should be fairly easy to put on a cherry picker and set up on a trailer deck.

Would this be allowed, or is it site dependent? I'm not entirely sure I want to pay for a trucking company to pick it up, as that could be a bit pricey, given it would be coming to Florida.

Does anyone have any words of wisdom? I'm not looking to buy right away (even though there is one I would *love* to have), but am planning for around the beginning of next year...

 

[doghead]

Call the location your considering buying from. Each location is different.

 

[sigo]

Definitely call the site. You'll often be able to talk with the employee that'll actually be there for your load-out. Sometimes they will go the extra mile to help you load your items.

I've had far more positive than negative interactions with GL & GP employees. The one goober that didn't want to help me didn't even work at the site, he was a regional supervisor. Turns out the guy at the site was far more helpful than the supervisor. I just bypassed the supervisor after that one time and never had an issue again.

 

[M813rc]

The "acceptable ramps" part generally means something like "don't bring a bunch of tatty 2x4s and cinder blocks to stack at the back of your trailer and call it a ramp".
And don't show up with a trailer that looks like it came from a Mad Max movie.

As stated above, most times the local reps are helpful and pleasant. But the "no assistance" part often means exactly that. At Red River, it meant the employee would sit in their vehicle nearby reading the paper until you did whatever it took to load up, then they'd escort you off the base. That said, at the same base they got a huge forklift and carefully lifted the nose of an M129 trailer I was picking up, because the landing gear had sunk into the soft mud and the nose was too low to get my M931 under it.

And as suggested, call the site, talk to the rep about your plan for the recovery and get their input.

Cheers

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,
Of course it matters on what is purchased.
If you are looking at generators, a lot will have "will tailgate load". You show up in a pickup truck and they load it in the back.

Sometimes you have all the legal writing saying nothing there. I know I can comment about Pennsylvania locations. They have forklifts, and a huge rough terrain loader with forks.

 

[Postman515]

I drove all the way to New York after confirming there was a forklift to load my non runner humvee. Touched base with customer service along the way. Drove 800 miles,Went through a background check, escort came to gate, took me back in base to lot and told me your going too be mad but forklift broke a couple weeks ago so your going to need to call a wrecker(It was 4pm by this time). I was pissed. Luck was on my side that day I got it running long enough to drive on trailer otherwise I would have had to spend the nite and hire a wrecker. TOUCH BASE WITH SITE REP NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE. Found out customer service didn't even touch base with him throughout the day on my arrival time.